Letter to the editor: Lax inspections are bringing us bad meat

Wednesday, October 9, 2013 - 12:01 am

According to a story in the day’s Washington Post, the meat inspection program that USDA plans to roll out in meat and poultry plants nationwide has repeatedly failed to stop production of contaminated meat. The program allows meat producers to increase the speed of processing lines and replace USDA safety inspectors with their own employees.

But plants operating under this program have experienced some of the worst health and safety violations, according to the USDA inspector general. Contaminants may contain complex strains of deadly E. coli and listeria.

The Obama administration must reallocate responsibility for consumer safety to the Food and Drug administration. In the meantime, each of us must assume responsibility for our own safety by switching to the rich variety of plant-based meats offered in local supermarkets.